Football
ISL 2020-21: Bengaluru FC beat Kerala Blasters 4-2; climb up to 4th
Bengaluru FC continued their unbeaten start to the Indian Super League (ISL) with a 4-2 win over Kerala Blasters. The match took place at the Fatorda stadium in Goa and it clearly didn’t disappoint as three quick-fire second half goals ensured Bengaluru FC took home the three points even after conceding first.
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The game started at a good pace with both Bengaluru and Kerala Blasters looking dangerous from the start. But it was Kerala who produced the first shot on target of the match as Jordan Murray’s shot on goal was saved by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu after Facundo Pereyra excellent through-ball sliced open the Blues’ defence. Kerala Blasters’s efforts bore fruit as they took the lead after Hooper intercepted a Bengaluru free-kick and initiated a stunning counter-attack that set up Rahul K.P for the goal as he drilled past Sandhu with a powerful low shot.
Bengaluru got their equaliser 12 minutes later as defender Lalruatthra’s error let Cleiton Silva equalise with a neat volley. Both teams exchanged more attacks but couldn’t score any more before half-time. The score remained 1-1.
Bengaluru FC had a great chance of taking the lead early in the second half as Bakary Kone tripped Kristian Opseth in the Kerala box. Sunil Chettri, ISL’s highest Indian goalscorer panenka'd the ball straight into goalkeeper Albino Gomes’s hands. Bengaluru's response was instant, scoring twice in as many minutes. Silva generated the move finding Ashique Kuruniyan on the left. Paartalu, who was left unmarked in the box, turned in Ashique's cross.
https://twitter.com/bengalurufc/status/1338190307842670593
Lalruatthra, who had already made a defensive error in the first half was at fault again. He gave away possession cheaply that helped Opseth set up Dimas Delgado for Bengaluru’s third. Blasters were stunned by this quick turn of events but got a goal back at the hour mark as Jordan Murray found the back of the net from Vicente Gomes’s pass due to Pereyra’s free-kick in Bengaluru’s half. But Bengaluru killed off any hopes of a fight back with a stunning fourth in the 65th minute. Harmanjot Khabra swung in a delightful ball; Chhetri outjumped Prasanth K at the far post and thundered a header across and into the top corner. Kerala Blasters continued to make forward runs and tried to score more but couldn’t get pass the Bengaluru defence which was the best in the league last season.
With this victory, Bengaluru FC go fourth with 9 points in 5 matches with 2 victories and 3 draws while Kerala remain 9th with 2 points in five. They face fellow strugglers SC East Bengal next week while Bengaluru FC take on Jamshedpur FC on the 17th of December.
